Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Tuning Pig Liver Esterase Enantioselectivity For The Synthesis Of Unnatural Serine And Tyrosine Analogues, Dale Anthony Rosado Jr.

Dissertations

The synthesis of disubstituted and homologated unnatural amino acids and the development of a mass spectrometry based assay for enantioselectivity are presented here. Disubstituted and homologated unnatural amino acids have proven to be effective for the treatment of diseases and for use as imaging agents. Peptides that contain unnatural amino acids have also proven to be effective treatments for various disease states including cancer. The potential to evaluate such unnatural amino acids for pharmaceutical properties is limited by the available syntheses. No method currently exists that will allow for the synthesis of homochirally similar unnatural amino acids from a common …

Reactor R&D: Synthesis And Optimization Of Metallic Nitride Fullerenes And The Introduction Of Two New Classes Of Endohedral Metallofullerenes, Metallic Nitride Azafullerenes And Oxo-Metallic Fullerenes, Curtis Earl Coumbe

Dissertations

Metallic nitride fullerenes (MNFs) were discovered in 1999. This class of endohedral fullerenes show promise in a new diverse range of useful applications. Since then, focus has shifted to the selective synthesis of these molecules with yields that would accommodate adequate sample distribution. Using the electric arc method, the traditional yield of these molecules has been very low (i.e. < 5 mg), and only a small percentage of the fullerene products (i.e. < 5%). This dissertation introduces the novel CAPTEAR (Chemically Adjusting Plasma Temperature, Energy, And Reactivity) method that allows the targeted synthesis of MNFs in high purity and yield. This method utilizes a nontraditional oxidizing method for fullerene synthesis that has not only provided optimization of MNFs, but also resulted in the discovery of two new classes of fullerenes: metallic nitride azafullerenes (MNAFs) and oxo-metallic fullerenes (OMFs). Evidence suggests that the nitrogen of the MNAF cage provides stability for the trimetallic nitride clusters, while the OMFs are the first fullerenes to encapsulate oxygen and incorporate a seven atom cluster inside a Cgo cage.

Other efforts to increase yields resulted from scaling up production of fullerenes by using larger quantities of starting materials. These larger quantities required energy (electrical current) beyond the capacity of the traditional electric arc generator. Therefore, a new electric arc generator …

Reflective Optics Cpv Panels Enabling Large Scale, Reliable Generation Of Solar Energy Cost Competitive With Fossil Fuels, S. Horne, M. Mcdonald, N. Hartsoch, K. Desy

Publications (E)

The objective of this 18 month subcontract was the improvement of reflective optics CPV panels to enable the large-scale, reliable production of solar electricity to meet SAI-established LCOE targets, and ultimately provide a path to solar power at parity with or better than the cost of energy generated utilizing fossil fuels. To this end, SolFocus has completed this subcontract with great success as evidenced by the end results of a CPV panel with conversion efficiencies greater than the targeted 22% and manufacturing capabilities with a run rate capacity far exceeding the milestone benchmark >3MW.

Wind Energy Assessment Study For Nevada -- Tall Tower Deployment (Stone Cabin), Darko Koracin, R. Reinhardt, Gregory D. Mccurdy, Marshall Liddle, Travis E. Mccord, Ramesh Vellore, Timothy B. Minor, Bradley F. Lyles, D. Miller, Lycia M. Ronchetti

Publications (E)

The objective of this work effort was to characterize wind shear and turbulence for representative wind-developable areas in Nevada.

From The Editor, James Manasco

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Call For Articles

Sci-Tech News

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Best Practices For Information Services, Sara Davis

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Engineering Division News, Dianna Magnoni

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Science-Technology Division News

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Chemistry Web, Bob Buchanan

Sci-Tech News

No abstract provided.

Sci-Tech Book News Reviews, Susan Fingerman

Sci-Tech News

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Officers And Boards

Sci-Tech News

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Web Reviews, Lisa Johnston

Sci-Tech News

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On The Cover

Sci-Tech News

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Protein Secondary Structure Prediction Using Parallelized Rule Induction From Coverings, Leong Lee, Cyriac Kandoth, Jennifer Leopold, Ronald L. Frank

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Protein 3D structure prediction has always been an important research area in bioinformatics. In particular, the prediction of secondary structure has been a well-studied research topic. Despite the recent breakthrough of combining multiple sequence alignment information and artificial intelligence algorithms to predict protein secondary structure, the Q3 accuracy of various computational prediction algorithms rarely has exceeded 75%. In a previous paper [1], this research team presented a rule-based method called RT-RICO (Relaxed Threshold Rule Induction from Coverings) to predict protein secondary structure. The average Q3 accuracy on the sample datasets using RT-RICO was 80.3%, an improvement over comparable computational methods. …

Metaevaluation Of Hiv/Aids Prevention Intervention Evaluations In Sub Saharan Africa With A Specific Emphasis On Implications For Women And Girls, Tererai Mafukidze Trent

Dissertations

Despite numerous attempts by international agencies to halt the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), nowhere has the impact of HIV/AIDS been felt more acutely than among women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). SSA women account for 59% of adults over the age of 15 living with HIV/AIDS and 76% of those 15-24 who are infected (United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS [UNAIDS], 2007).

The evidence on gender disparities in infection rates is indisputable; there is an urgent need to identify what is missing in HIV/AIDS prevention interventions: What is the evidence based upon …

Electrical Switching Properties Of Ternary And Layered Chalcogenide Phase-Change Memory Devices, Martin Jared Barclay

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Due to the increasing demand for products which use Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) and the near realization of the scaling limits of Flash [1, 2], a large research effort is underway. This effort is to develop new forms of NVM capable of replacing Flash [3]. At the forefront of this research is Phase-Change Random Access Memory (PCRAM). Chalcogenide based PCRAM is one of the most promising non-volatile memories for the next generation of portable electronics, due to its excellent scalability, large sensing margin, fast switching speed, and possible multi-bit per cell operation [3]. It is desirable for a phase-change random access …

A Parallel Computing Test Bed For Performing An Unsupervised Fluoroscopic Analysis Of Knee Joint Kinematics, Renu Ramanatha

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Fluoroscopic analysis of knee joint kinematics involves accurately determining the position and orientation of bones in the knee joint. This data can be derived using the static 3-D CT scan images and 2-D video fluoroscopy images together. This involves generating hypothetical digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) from the CT scan image with known position and orientation and comparing them to the original fluoroscopic frame. This represents a search problem in which, among all the DRRs possible from a CT image, the image that most closely matches the target fluoroscopy frame of the knee joint has to be found.

Each image in …

A Spoofing Attack Against An Epc Class One Rfid System, Christopher Bolan

Australian Information Security Management Conference

In computing the term spoofing historically referred to the creation of TCP/IP packets using another device’s valid IP address to gain an advantage. The Electronic Product Code (EPC) RFID system was investigated to test the efficacy of spoofing a valid tag response to basic requests. A radio frequency transmission device was constructed to determine whether a valid reader could distinguish between the response of an actual tag and a spoofed response. The results show that the device was able to successfully deceive the EPC reader and further, to replace actual tag responses with a spoofed response. The potential for such …

Spatial Instability Of Electrically Driven Jets With Finite Conductivity And Under Constant Or Variable Applied Field, Saulo Orizaga, Daniel N. Riahi

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

We investigate the problem of spatial instability of electrically driven viscous jets with finite electrical conductivity and in the presence of either a constant or a variable applied electric field. A mathematical model, which is developed and used for the spatially growing disturbances in electrically driven jet flows, leads to a lengthy equation for the unknown growth rate and frequency of the disturbances. This equation is solved numerically using Newton’s method. For neutral temporal stability boundary, we find, in particular, two new spatial modes of instability under certain conditions. One of these modes is enhanced by the strength Ω of …

Open Access Fiber To The Home Networking, Roger E. Timmerman

Theses and Dissertations

The concept of open-access networks appeals to communities that want to invest in and improve their access to modern telecommunications services. By investing in, or building their own open-access telecommunications networks, communities can create an environment where several telecommunications service providers can co-exist on a common open-access infrastructure. This model promotes innovation and competition among several smaller service providers rather than having a monopoly or oligopoly from those companies that can afford the investment of infrastructure in the community. This research provides an analysis of two large open-access fiber-to-the-home networks in Utah to determine a set of recommendations and best-practices …

Improved Hydrogeophysical Parameter Estimation From Empirical Mode Decomposition Processed Ground Penetrating Radar Data, Adrian Addison, Bradley M. Battista, Camelia C. Knapp

Faculty Publications

Various techniques have been designed to maximize the use of ground penetrating radar (GPR) as an exploration tool. Improvements in signal processing are expected to further facilitate the accuracy of parameters derived from using GPR in certain geologic environments. Common-offset GPR data were collected at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Beaufort, South Carolina, and dielectric constants were calculated following the application of the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for dewowing GPR traces. Conventional signal processing is applied to the GPR traces to provide hydrogeophysical parameter estimates such as volumetric water content, porosity, and hydraulic conductivity. The results are validated …

Evaluating Head Gestures For Panning 2-D Spatial Information, Matthew O. Derry

Master's Theses

New, often free, spatial information applications such as mapping tools, topological imaging, and geographic information systems are becoming increasingly available to the average computer user. These systems, which were once available only to government, scholastic, and corporate institutions with highly skilled operators, are driving a need for new and innovative ways for the average user to navigate and control spatial information intuitively, accurately, and efficiently. Gestures provide a method of control that is well suited to navigating the large datasets often associated with spatial information applications. Several different types of gestures and different applications that navigate spatial data are examined. …

A Neural Network Approach To Border Gateway Protocol Peer Failure Detection And Prediction, Cory B. White

Master's Theses

The size and speed of computer networks continue to expand at a rapid pace, as do the corresponding errors, failures, and faults inherent within such extensive networks. This thesis introduces a novel approach to interface Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) computer networks with neural networks to learn the precursor connectivity patterns that emerge prior to a node failure. Details of the design and construction of a framework that utilizes neural networks to learn and monitor BGP connection states as a means of detecting and predicting BGP peer node failure are presented. Moreover, this framework is used to monitor a BGP network …

An Isomorphism Theorem For Graphs, Laura Culp

Theses and Dissertations

In the 1970’s, L. Lovász proved that two graphs G and H are isomorphic if and only if for every graph X , the number of homomorphisms from X → G equals the number of homomorphisms from X → H . He used this result to deduce cancellation properties of the direct product of graphs. We develop a result analogous to Lovász’s theorem, but in the class of graphs without loops and with weak homomorphisms. We apply it prove a general cancellation property for the strong product of graphs.

Culture Jamming: From Activism To Hactivism, Kay Hearn, Rachel J. Mahncke, Patricia A. Williams

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

A new kind of Internet threat has emerged. Hacking is increasingly being used as a weapon by individuals to promote their political ideologies by engaging in distributed citizen-based warfare. Their aim is to disrupt communications using internet enabled networks and organisations. Examples of these online assaults during 2009 were evident during the Iranian protests and the Melbourne International Film Festival. Such attacks use denial of service techniques and utilised social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube to post links to access hacking instructions. Posts on social networking websites and news stories from a variety of sources online, …

When You Can't See The Forest For The Domains: Why A Two Forest Model Should Be Used To Achieve Logical Segregation Between Scada And Corporate Networks, Andrew Woodward, Brett Turner

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

The increasing convergence of corporate and control systems networks creates new challenges for the security of critical infrastructure. There is no argument that whilst this connection of what was traditionally an isolated network, to a usually internet enabled corporate network, is unavoidable, segregation must be maintained. One such challenge presented is how to properly and appropriately configure an active directory environment to allow for exchange of required data, but still maintain the security goal of separation of the two networks. This paper argues that while separate domains may seem to achieve this goal, the reality is that a domain is …

Challenges In Improving Information Security Practice In Australian General Practice, Donald C. Mcdermid, Rachel J. Mahncke, Patricia A. Williams

Australian Information Security Management Conference

The status of information security in Australian medical general practice is discussed together with a review of the challenges facing small practices that often lack the technical knowledge and skill to secure patient information by themselves. It is proposed that an information security governance framework is required to assist practices in identifying weaknesses and gaps and then to plan and implement how to overcome their shortcomings through policies, training and changes to processes and management structure.

Security Requirements Engineering-The Reluctant Oxymoron, Michael N. Johnstone

Australian Information Security Management Conference

Security is a focus in many systems that are developed today, yet this aspect of systems development is often relegated when the shipping date for a software product looms. This leads to problems post-implementation in terms of patches required to fix security defects or vulnerabilities. A simplistic answer is that if the code was correct in the first instance, then vulnerabilities would not exist. The reality of a complex software artefact is however, driven by other concerns. Rather than probing programs for coding errors that lead to vulnerabilities, it is perhaps more beneficial to look at the root causes of …

Measuring Information Security Governance Within General Medical Practice, Rachel J. Mahncke, Donald C. Mcdermid, Patricia A. Williams

Australian Information Security Management Conference

Information security is becoming increasingly important within the Australian general medical practice environment as legal and accreditation compliance is being enforced. Using a literature review, approaches to measuring information security governance were analysed for their potential suitability and use within General Practice for the effective protection of confidential information. The models, frameworks and guidelines selected were analysed to evaluate if they were Key Performance Indicator (KPI), or process driven; whether the approach taken was strategic, tactical or operational; and if governance or management assessment tools were presented. To measure information security governance, and be both effective and practical, the approach …